Critter Country
Critter Country is a 2017 American computer-animated buddy film produced by Walt Disney Wonder Studios and released by Walt Disney Pictures. The film was directed by Steve Trenbirth from a screenplay penned by David Gordon Green and David Reynolds, and features an ensemble voice cast that includes James Corden, Jason Segel, Jean Reno, Oona Laurence, Russi Taylor, Kristoff St. John, David Ogden Stiers, Robert Guillaume, Sam Raimi, Andy Dick, and Christine Baranski, and is the second Walt Disney Wonder Studios film, after Disney In The House: Introduction. In the film, Lemy the Lemur and Burrows the meerkat get lost on a trip, and embark on a quest to get home by obtaining three riddles to the key to stop Razazuki, who intends to destroy Critter Country. Critter Country ''was released theatrically in the United States on April 16, 2017 in American theaters. Upon release, the film was acclaimed by critics and audiences, who praised its animation, subject matter, and voice performances. ''Critter Country was also commercially successful as it managed to gross $297 million worldwide on a $32 million budget. It was nominated for three Annie Awards: Music in a Feature Production, Voice Acting in a Feature Production, and Best Animated Feature (winning the latter two). This was the last animated Disney film with the participation of Taylor and Stiers before their deaths in 2018 and 2019, respectively. This was also the only voice role for St. John before his death in 2019. Plot In Critter Country, a colorful, peaceful, and modern-civilized world entirely populated by anthropomorphic critters and other animals such as bears, rodents, pandas, reptiles, bats, insects, and marsupials, two best friends named Lemy the Lemur and Burrows the Meerkat both long for adventure. One day, Lemy's love interest, Batty Bat, announces that they are going on a road trip, much to the excitement of Lemy, Burrows, Chipper Chipmunk, Bext Beaver, Park Parrot, KuKu Cockatoo, Power Panda, Hissy Snake, and Katie Kangaroo. They pack up their things in their motor home and head out on their road trip. During this, a mysterious raptor flings Lemy and Burrows out of the moving motor home. Lemy and Burrows follow the scent of the raptor's footprints, and a critter named Razazuki lets them in the cave. When they ask him for the first out of three riddles to an answer the scent has somewhat tasked them to do, he refuses and reveals that the raptor that threw them is his true identity. Lemy and Burrows narrowly escape with the riddle alive. Meanwhile, Batty and the other critters learn about the raptor and set out to rescue Lemy and Burrows. Lemy and Burrows grab the second riddle from the library and barely escape being caught by the librarian. Lemy and Burrows soon realize Razazuki was the one that flung them out of the motor home. They find the last riddle in a flower field. At the moment all the riddles are combined into a wand, Razazuki fights off the critters and attempts to kill Lemy and Burrows, but Batty, Chipper, Bext, Park, KuKu, Power, Hissy, and Katie outnumber him with their combined efforts. After Razazuki is arrested for is actions, the critters praise Lemy as a hero for saving Critter Country and he declares "CRITTER VICTORY!". Lemy, Burrows, and their friends return home from their road trip. Batty falls in love with Lemy, who gives her a ring in return and declares that Critter Country is now a world of extremely peaceful harmony and life. The film ends with Burrows surprising Lemy with their first-ever piano, much to his shock and surprise. Cast * James Corden as Lemy, a ring-tailed lemur. * Jason Segel as Burrows, a meerkat and Lemy's best friend. * Jean Reno as Razazuki, an evil raptor who intends to take over Critter Country. * Oona Laurence as Batty, a fruit bat and Lemy's love interest. * Russi Taylor as Chippy, a chipmunk and Batty's best friend. * Kristoff St. John as Bext, a nervous beaver * David Ogden Stiers as Park, a grumpy yet optimistic green parrot * Robert Guillaume as KuKu, a wise old cockatoo. * Sam Raimi as Power, a partying, big-hearted, caring panda who is good friends with Hissy and Katie. * Andy Dick as Hissy, a stretchy, long, flexible snake who is good friends with Power and Katie. * Christine Baranski as Katie, a kangaroo who is good friends with Power and Hissy. * Frank Welker as Cobra * Susan Sarandon as Librarian * Kevin Michael Richardson as Police Critter * Omar Sy as Wombat * Sam Shepard as Cricket Box office The film grossed $100 million in the United States and Canada, and $197 million in other territories, for a worldwide total of $297 million. Critical response Critter Country was met with positive reviews from critics. It has a 83% approval rating of Rotten Tomatoes. The consensus reads, "Extraordinary, funny, and beautifully animated, Critter Country rules". Metacritic signed the film to a score of 81 out of 100 based on 30 critics, indicating "universal acclaim". Michael Rechtshaffen of The Hollywood Reporter gave the film a positive review, saying "Critter Country is a cinematic treat for people who enjoyed ''Disney In The House: Introduction''. It recaptures the universal acclaim". A. A. Dowd of The A.V. Club gave the film four out of four star and commended Jean Reno's performance of Razazuki. Accolades